Motie (5-57), Pereira (3-91) spin Berbice to first innings points

By Sean Devers at Providence
An attractive 65 from Kevon Boodie and a solid 60 from National under-19 spinner Anthony Adams failed to prevent Essequibo from losing first innings points to Berbice on the penultimate day of their three-day GTM under-19 cricket match at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday.
By the close yesterday Berbice, enjoying a lead of 73, were 1 without loss in their second innings from two overs after Essequibo slipped from 94-1 to 239 all out replying to Berbice’s first innings 312 as left-arm unorthodox spinner Gudkesh Motie snatched 5-57 from 19 overs.
The 18 year-old right-handed Boodie, who hails from Vergenoegen on the East Bank of Essequibo, struck seven fours and two sixes in his 95-ball half century and added 81 for the second wicket with Vijay Surujpaul (32) after they joined forces just before lunch when Mark Gonsalves was dismissed for eight by off-spinner Joemal LaFleur at 13-1.
Eighteen-year-old Adams, from Suddie on the Essequibo Coast, then stroked six fours in his 60 from 103 balls and 136 minutes before he was ninth out when Motie, who plays for Albion, had his fifth leg before victim of the innings.
Essequibo were going well at 94-1 on the flat track when leg-spinner Shawn Pereira, who finished with 3-91 from 21.3 overs, had Surujpaul caught at deep square-leg pulling a full toss, while Motie struck an important blow 17 runs later when he got rid of Boodie.
The unrelated Adams pair (Anthony and Ricardo) joined forces before Ricardo was forced to retire nursing a bleeding nose and West Indies under-19 pacer Ronsford Beaton was asked to bat at number five in the order.
Motie removed Beaton for a duck and by Tea Essequibo had reached 128-4 with Anthony Adams looking set.
After the interval Kevin Ramdeen, one of the few young off-spinners with the ability to spin the ball prodigiously, had Ricardo Adams (21) stumped to leave the score on 172-5.
Seon Venture (15), Kevin Fredericks (13) and Boodie fell in the space of four runs before Pereira polished off the innings 20 minutes before the scheduled 17:00hrs close.
Earlier, Berbice resumed in glorious sunshine on their overnight 264-7 and quickly lost Linden Austin, who was caught behind off Anthony Adams in the day’s third over without adding to his first day 86 and Berbice were 264-8.
Herry Greene then had the other overnight batsman Clinton Pestano, caught behind for 30 with five fours and a six as Berbice slipped to 292-9.
Motie (7*) and wicketkeeper Andy Mohan (11*) rallied their team to 312 before Greene removed Motie to finish with 3-67. Adams had 3-60 and medium pacer Mark Tyrell, who took the first two wickets on Monday, captured 2-22.
Today is the final day and play is scheduled to commence at 10:00hrs.